Holiday horror in Texas: 2 dead, 80 hurt in pileup

Friday

Nov 23, 2012 at 12:01 AMNov 23, 2012 at 11:52 AM

BEAUMONT, Texas (AP) - Two people died and more than 80 people were hurt yesterday when at least 140 vehicles collided in southeastern Texas in a pileup that left trucks twisted on top of one another and authorities rushing to pull survivors from the wreckage.

BEAUMONT, Texas (AP) — Two people died and more than 80 people were hurt yesterday when at least 140 vehicles collided in southeastern Texas in a pileup that left trucks twisted on top of one another and authorities rushing to pull survivors from the wreckage.

The collision occurred in extremely foggy conditions about 8:45 a.m. on I-10 southwest of Beaumont, a Gulf Coast city about 80 miles east of Houston.

A man and a woman were killed in a Chevy Suburban SUV crushed by a tractor-trailer, the Texas Department of Public Safety told KFDM-TV.

Officials at Acadian Ambulance service said at least 51 people had been taken to area hospitals and at least eight were critically hurt.

The Public Safety Department said that a crash in the eastbound lanes led to other accidents in a dangerous chain reaction. There were multiple crashes on the westbound side of the highway as well.

Deputy Rod Carroll of the Jefferson County sheriff’s office said the fog was so thick that deputies didn’t immediately realize they were dealing with multiple accidents. He said 140 to 150 vehicles were involved in the pileup. “It is catastrophic,” Carroll said. “I’ve got cars on top of cars.”

I-10’s eastbound lanes were re-opened yesterday evening after more than eight hours.

Department of Public Safety trooper Stephanie Davis told KFDM that two people in an SUV died after the crash.

Carroll said uninjured drivers tried to help as authorities sorted through the wreckage.

“It’s just people helping people,” Carroll said. “The foremost thing in this holiday season is how other travelers were helping us when we were overwhelmed, sitting and holding, putting pressure on people that were injured.”